To what extent do premenstrual and interictal dysphoric disorder overlap? Significance for therapy.

Department of Psychiatry, University of Tennessee, Memphis 38103, USA.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Premenstrual dysphoria has shown a significant relationship to epilepsy, and its symptoms correspond to those of the interictal dysphoric disorder. The established treatment for interictal dysphoric disorder is explored as an effective treatment for premenstrual dysphoria.

METHODS:

Women with premenstrual dysphoria (the majority with epilepsy) were evaluated and treated systematically.

RESULTS:

Premenstrual disorder responded well to the combination of antidepressant and antiepileptic medication.

CONCLUSION:

Concordance of symptomatology between interictal and premenstrual dysphoric disorder may extend to treatment.

LIMITATIONS:

The treatment needs to be evaluated in a large series of women without epilepsy.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE:

A novel understanding and treatment of premenstrual dysphoria is suggested.